Match-machine.



A. KELLEY.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

ISHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE COLUMBM PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

1,168,31 1. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 24 A. KELLEY.

MATCH MACHINE.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MKCHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

ISHEETS-SHEET 4- 4 IIII |||ll|l| lill IIMII II II THE cuLuMtilA FLXN GQRABH p0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

7 SHEETSSHEEI 5.

Patented Jan IS, 1916.

flfzxa/mrfiel q vflmeow A. KELLEY MATCH MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

I5HEETSSHEET 6.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

7SHEETSSHEET 7 "are re.

ALEXANDER KELLEY, OF WILMINGTQN, DELAXVAREftSSIGNQR TO CLIMAX MACHINE COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MATCH-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1 8, 191

Continuation in part of application Serial No 862,366, filed September 18, 1914. This application filed June as, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing'at \Vilmingtcn, in the county of Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a continuation of an application filed by me September 18, 1914, Serial No. 862,366, the invention relating'to match making machines, and the present invention having special reference to the means for forming the splints and feeding them into the carrier.

The primary object of my invention is to produce an apparatus in which round or square splints may be formed at will, both forms of splints being taken up by the same carrier and moved from the splint forming mechanism to and past the several dipping devices and thence to the delivering mechanism where the splints are discharged from the carrier positively and efficiently without reference to their shape. v

The invention forming the subject-matter of the present application has for its object the provision of efficient means whereby souare splints will be formed from a sheet of stock and the splints so formed separated and fed positively to the carrier so as to separately engage and be held by the carrier in position to be clipped.

The invention also has for its object to improve and simplify the feeding mechanism and to provide means whereby access may be quickly and easily had to any part which may need cleaning or adjustment.

The invention is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described, the particular novelty of the invention being pointed out in the claims following the description.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 1" together constitute a side elevation of a match machine embodying my invention, the greater portion of the carrier being omitted; F ig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism for cutting the stock into longitudinal strips and separating the strips in their passage to the carrier and the means for severing them into match lengths; F ig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section Serial No. 36,836

through the rotary cutters, the feed rollers and the portions ofthe guiding and separating membersimmediately co-acting with the rotary cutters; Fig. 3? is asimilar view of an intermediate portion of the separating assembly and of the feed rollers for driving the splints to the carrier; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the mechanism by which the separated strips are severed into match-length splints and a portion of the carrier into which the strips are delivered; Figs. 3, 3 and 3 tcgether constituting a longitudinal section of the means whereby a sheet of stock is cut into longitudinal strips, separated, fed into the carrier and cut into match lengths; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the means for receiving the strips from the rotary cutters and separating the same as they leave said cutters; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the initial feed rollers and the rotary cutters with the gearingfor driving the same; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the mechanism for cutting the longitudinal strips into match lengths; Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the same mechanism; Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the means for engaging the carrier to discharge the splints; Fig.8 is an enlarged de tail section through a portion of the rotary cutters; Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the rotary knives and one of the washers cooperating therewith; and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view showing the manner in which the strips are separated as they leave the rotary cutters.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a suitable supporting frame, indicated at 1, which may be of any convenient construction possessing the necessary strength. Upon this supporting frame is provided a table or shelf 2 upon which the stock may be piled, as indicated at 8. it being understood that square match splints are formed from sheets of veneer which are fed singly to the working instrumentalities. In the drawings. I have illustrated several sheets of stock disposed upon the shelf or table 2 in position to be fed to the cutters, but in actual practice only one of the sheets is fed forward at a time. The stock may be placed upon the table in any preferred manner so as to be guided properly to the cutting mechanism, and for all practical purposes rails 4 between which the stock is placed will be found sufficient to properly center the stock relative to the cutters. At the end of the table 2, I secure a metallic plate 5 over which the sheet of stock passes and which is suitably slotted to permit feeding rollers to grip the stock and impart the proper travel thereto. These feeding rollers are carried by upper and lower shafts 6 and 7 which are mounted in suitable bearings 8 slidably fitted in standards or brackets 9 upon the main frame so that they may be readily adjusted to obtain the proper tension upon the stock. The rollers are shown at 10 and 11, respectively, both rollers having longitudinal grooves, corrugations or crimps in their peripheral surfaces so as to readily grip the sheet of stock fed to and between them, and

the upper roller is provided at its ends with formation of irregular and worthless splints will be avoided. The waste material trimmed from the side edges of the stock will pass over the side edges of the plate 5 and then drop to the floor of the work room,

it being understood that the trimmed portions will be deflected slightly laterally by the outside surfaces of the trimming knives, and this lateral deflection of the waste material will create a tendency of the same to curl and pass from the machine.

The shafts 6 and 7 are operatively connected at one side of the machine by gears 13 and 1 1 secured on the ends thereof and at the end of the shaft 6 remote from the gear 13 is a large spur or gear wheel 15, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. Upon the end of the shaft 7 adjacent the gear wheel 1% is a ratchet wheel or disk 16 and between the said ratchet wheel and said gear wheel a collar 17 is loosely mounted upon the said shaft, said collar being provided with an arm 18 extending radially therefrom and having its free end pivotally connected to a pitman 19. The pivotal connection between the said pitman and the said arm consists of a long bolt 20, shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and upon the said bolt between the upper end of the pitman and the outer end of the arm 18 is pivotally hung a pawl 21 which is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel or disk 16 and thereby impart an intermittent or step by step rotary movement to the said ratchet wheel or disk and the shaft as the pitman 19 is vertically reciprocated. Upon the free end of the arm 18 is an overhanging cap or housing 22 in which is mounted a spring-controlled tension device or plunger 23 adapted to bear upon an angular face 24 of the pawl 21 and thereby hold the said pawl in the operative or inoperative position in which it may have been set. The said pawl is further provided with an extension or lug 25 which is longitudinally slotted, as shown at 26, to fit around a setting rod 27 which is mounted in and guided gle link 32 to an upper short supporting rod 33 secured in a bearing or bracket 34-upon the main frame by a set-screw 35.

It will be readily understood that the weight of the setting rod 27, the handle bar 81 and the connections between the same tends to hold the said parts in a lowered pcsition so that the upper stop 29 will bear upon the extension 25 of thepawl and hold said extension in a lowered position, thereby throwing the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel or disk 16. 1f a pull be exerted upon the handle bar so that the same is moved to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the setting rod 27 will be lifted and the lower stop 29 thereon will be brought up against the lug 25 of the pawl, and the pawl will, consequently, be swung about its pivotal connection with the pitman 19 to be released from the ratchet wheel. I am thus enabled to very quickly stop the feeding operation, when necessary, for any cause.

It is obvious that it is uneconomical to permit the machine to continue to operate when the supply of stock needs replenishing, and it is also obvious that parts will wear out and the feeding operation may be arrested when it is desired to renew or readjust .any of the parts. The end of the shaft 7 carrying the ratchet wheel or disk and the adjacent parts is supported by an arm or bracket 36 projecting from the main frame, and the extension 37 of this bracket rises above the ratchet wheel to carry a pin 38 on which is pivotally hung a springpressed holding dog or pawl 39 which engages the ratchet wheel 16 so as to prevent retrograde movement thereof.

It is contemplated in my machine to produce matches of various lengths, and the length of the match will be determined by the length of the feeding'movement of the feed mechanism. In order that this feeding movement may be varied quickly and easily, I provide an'adjustable pivot or wrist pin through which motion is imparted to the pitman 19 at the lower end thereof. This wrist pin is shown at 40 and fits pivotally in an eye formed on the lower end of the pitman, as will be readily understood. The said wrist pin is carried by a disktl which is secured to the projecting end of a trans verse shaft mounted in suitable bearings upon the lower portion of the main frame. This disk is grooved diametrically in its outer face, as shown at 4'2, and at one end of the said groove is swiveled a screw or threaded rod d3 having a milled head or other convenient form of handle at its swiveled end beyond the periphery of the disk. The wrist pin a0 is constructed with a threaded sleeve adapted to engage the threaded portion of the rod or pin 43 and thereby constitute a nut for the said threaded pin or screw.

It will be readily understood that the wrist pin will be caused to slide to or from the center of the disk, accordingly as the screw or pin is rotated in one or the other direction and the throw or stroke of the pitman 19 will, consequently, be varied according to the position in which the wrist pin may be set. It will be readily understood that the sleeve from which the wrist pin projects will be held against turning movement by the walls of the groove 42 so that, when the screw is rotated, the sleeve will be forced to move longitudinally of the same. The feeding movement or rotation of the ratchet disk 16 and the shaft 7 is obviously determined by the length of the stroke of the pitman 19, and it is, therefore, obvious that merely adjusting the position of the wrist pin 40 will vary the stroke of the feeding mechanism so that the stock may be fed a distance equal to the exact length of the match desired.

The gear wheel 15 meshes with a similar wheel 45 on the end of a shaft 46 carrying the lower rotary cutter, and at the opposite end of said shaft 46 is secured a pinion 4.7 which meshes with. a similar pinion $8 on the shaft 49 carrying the upper rotary cutter. These shafts l6 and l9 are also mounted in vertically adjustable bearings for the same purpose as the bearings 8 carrying the rollers 6 and T. The rotary cutters are arranged to act upon the sheet of stock after it leaves the feed rollers so as to divide the sheet into a plurality of longitudinal strips which are substantially square in cross section and which are subsequently divided transversely to form the match splints. Between the feeding rollers 10 and 11 and the rotary cutters, the sheet of stock is supported by and between upper and lower guide plates 50 and 51 which are secured by suitable bolts to the main frame and prevent the dropping of the sheet between the pairs of rollers and also guide the same positively and with certainty exactly to the meeting line between the upper and lower rotary cutters, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The said upper and lower rotary cutters are composed of cutting disks or circular knives 52 and spacing washers 53 which are disposed between some of the knives and which are all of the same diameter. The knives and washers are all secured against rotary movement about the shaft carrying them by a key 54: which is engaged in a groove in the shaft and in notches in the knives and washers, as will be readily understood, and the arrangement of these knives and washers is shown most clearly in Fig. 8. Movement of the knives and the washers longitudinally of the shaft is prevented by stop rings fitted against an annular shoulder 56 of the shaft at one end of the gang of knives and washers, and secured by set-screws or equivalent devices at the opposite end whereby the knives and washers will be held snugly between the said stop rings so that there is no chance for lateral movement or vibration thereof.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 8, it will be noted that at the left hand end of the series of knives and washers shown therein is a single knife, the outer surface of which is beveled at the edge thereof toward the right of the figure. This knife has its cutting edge arranged to meet and partly overlap the cutting edge of a lower knife, the edge of which is beveled on the right hand side. Lying against the upper knife is a spacing washer, and lying against the lower knife is a second knife which has its bevel disposed reversely to the bevel of the first-mentioned lower knife so that the beveled edges of the two lower knives present a V-shaped or flared notch or recess which accommodates the strip into which the sheet is cut.

Following the figure toward the right, it will be noted that this arrangement is carried throughout the series of knives and washers so that the washers are disposed alternately upon the upper and lower shafts and the knives are also disposed alternately upon the said shafts so that opposite each washer and coacting shaft is a pair of knives presenting a V-shaped or flared notch or recess which receives the strip. The knives are exceedingly thin and keen so that, whereas theoretically the strips into which the sheet is cut will have converging sides, practically the inclination of these sides is so slight as to be not discernible to the ordinary observer. As the sheet of stock reaches the overlapping and meeting edges of the knives, it will be split into longitudinal strips of the proper cross-sectional dimensions for match splints, and the pressure exerted by the washers and the converging beveled surfaces of the knives upon the strips will cause them to be fed by the'rotation of the cutters.

The arrangement of knives just described and illustrated in the drawings cuts through the stock without any waste, and as there .is

compressed between the washers and the knives so that they tend to follow around the surfaces of the washers as the cutting rollers rotate. I, therefore, provide strippers which enter the bight between the cutting rollers and engage the strips of stock so as to comb them from the cutters and also direct them into guides through which they pass to the transverse cutter. These stripping and guiding members are illustrated in Figs. 8 and l.

The framework in rear of the rotary cutters is constructed with longitudinal grooves 57 on the inner faces of the side bars thereof, and in the said grooves are engaged the edges of slides 58 upon one of which is a rack bar 59. Upon the upper sides of the slides and bridging the space between the sides of the main frame is a separator and guide which, in the illustrated construction, consists of a sheet metal plate 60 having its intermediate portion crimped or corrugated so as to form grooves 61 and 62 alternately upon its lower and upper surfaces. This sheet metal plate has a reduced end portion 63, the side edges of which, as well as of the entire plate, are smooth or uncrimped. To the upper and lower faces of this reduced extension 63, I secure the reinforcing blocks 64: having inclined faces so that they together present a wedge formation adapted to fit closely within the bight between the cutting rollers, as shown clearly in Fig. 8.

To the upper surface of the upper blocks 64 and the lower surface of the lower blocks 64, I secure the stripping combs which consist each of a plate 65 and a series of teeth 66 provided at the forward edge of the plate. These combs are secured to the blocks by bolts 67 and thumb nuts 68 so that they may bereadily removed, when necessary, and each comb bridges the space between the blocks to which it is secured. The forward edges of the plates 65 are substantially coincident with the forward edges of the blocks 6% and the reduced extension 63 of the plate 60, so that the strips cut from the sheet will be guided by and between the plates65 and plate 60 after entering the grooves 01' corrugations presented by the said plate 60. The teeth 66 enter between the adjacent knives 52 and have concave edges 69 which fit close to the peripheries of the spacing washers 53 so that the travel of the strips ofstock around the peripheries of the washers will be positively prevented, the teeth substantially filling the spaces between the knives so that the travel of the strips of stock upon the peripheries of the spacing washers will bring said strips against the ends of the teeth, as will be readily understood. The teeth are also provided with concave edges 70' which extend from the peripheries of the washers toward the grooves '61 and 62, respectively, of the guiding and separating plate 60 and thereby direct the strips positively into said grooves.

Upon reference to Fig. 26, it will be noted that, when the stock is divided into longitudinal strips, the tendency of the strips to travel around the peripheries of the cutters will separate them into two series, one series 71 having an upward direction and the other series 72 having a downward direction, as shown clearly in Fig. 10. My improved mechanism permits me to take advantage of this tendency of the strips to follow the cutters so that a separation of the strips is immediately effected and, consequently, a very large number of strips may be cut at a single operation and a larger number of matches may be cut from a sheet of given width and fed to and carried in each section of the cutter than was heretofore possible. The upper series of strips 71 will be caused by the arrangement shown and described to enter the upper grooves 0r corrugations 62 of the guiding and spreading plate, while the lower strips 72 will be likewise caused to enter the grooves or corrugations 61 in the under side of said plate, the upper strips being prevented from rising out of said upper grooves by the upper comb plate 65 and the lower strips being prevented from dropping from the lower grooves by the lower comb plate 65, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 8.

lteferring more particularly now to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the corrugated portion of the guiding and spreading plate 60 is fan-shaped so that the said corrugations or grooves diverge toward the rear end of said plate, the divergence beginning at or immediately in rear of the rear edge of the comb plate. The rear extremity of this guiding and spreading plate is reduced in its vertical dimension, as shown in Fig. 3 and abuts a transverse series of longitudinally disposed guiding tubes 73, the front ends of which are larger than their rear ends so that the tubes have a funnel form and, consequently, will accommodate some variance or irregularity in the emission of the strips from the guiding and spreading plate 60. 'The rear ends of these guiding tubes are all disposed in the same horizontal plane and rest upon a transverse shelf 74 constituting a part of the main frame, and in the upper side of which are longitudinal parallel grooves 75, shown in Fig. 2. Overhanging-flanges 76 are formed at the sides of the main frame and at the ends of this shelf 74 so as to receive a glass cover (7 which extends over the grooves 70 and is recessed or otherwise formed at its front edge, as shown at 78, to fit over the rear ends of the guiding tubes 73. The said rear ends of the guiding tubes73 may be angular in cross section so as to prevent rotation and consequent displacement of the tubes, if so desired, and the tubes are severally secured in a bridge plate 79 by set-screws 80 mounted in the upper cross bar 81 of the said bridge plate and bearing upon the re spective tubes. The upper and under sides of the guiding and spreading plate 60 between the tubes 73 and the comb plates are covered by panes of glass or similar material, shown at 82, and these glass plates are hinged respectively to the front edges of the upper and lower comb plates 65, as shown at 83, strips of felt or other cushioning material 81 being provided upon the locks 61 to prevent breaking of the glass as it is brought into position upon the frame. As shown in Fig. 3 the rear ends of the glass plates abut the front ends of the guiding tubes 73 so that longitudinal movement of the parts will be positively prevented.

If, for any reason, it becomes necessary to obtain access to the guiding and spreading plate 60, the bridge plate 7 9 is manually withdrawn from its position. Longitudinal movement is then imparted to the plate 60, the glass plates 82, and the spreader strips so as to withdraw the spreader strips from the bight between the cutters. The glass plates may then be easily swung upwardly and downwardly to the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and any choking in the guiding and spreading plate easily removed or other repairs made. The longitudinal sliding movement of the spreading and guiding plate and the parts cooperating therewith is effected by the rotation of a short shaft 85 mounted in one side of the main frame and equipped at its outer end with a crank or other handle 86 and carrying a pinion 87 on its inner end which meshes with the rack bar 59, as will be readily understood. 7

v Abutting the rear edge of the glass plate 77 is a covering plate 88 which extends transversely of the machine and has its rear edge beveled so as to fit close to the feeding roller 89 which is mounted in suitable bearings upon the main frame and has longitudinal crimps, ribs or corrugations in its peripheral surface, as will be readily understood. One end of the shaft 90 carrying the said roller is equipped with a ratchet wheel or disk 91 and loosely mounted upon the said shaft between the said ratchet and the frame is a collar 92 from which extends a radial arm 93. The free end of this radial arm 93 carries a pivot pin or bolt 94 by which the arm is connected to a pitman 95. A pawl 96 is mounted upon the pivot pin or bolt 94L and'is controlled by a setting rod 97 which is similar to the setting rod 27, previouslydescribed, and connected with the'hatn" dle bar 31 in the same manner. The lower end of the pitman is connected to a wrist pin 98 which is similar to the wrist pin 10 and is adjusted in the same manner. It will thus be seen that an intermittent or step by step movement is imparted to the shaft 90 carrying the feed roller 89, and this movement will be coincident and coextensive with the movement imparted to the feed rollers 10 and 11 and the rotary cutters. v

The engagement ofthe feed roller 89 with the strips of stock may be suflicient to effect the desired feeding of said strip at all times, but I prefer to employ a supplemental feeding or supporting roller 99 which is located in a transverse recess 100 in the frame below the path of the strips and having its axis in the same vertical plane with the axis of the roller 89. Motion may be positively im parted to this roller 99 through a gear 101 on the shaft 90 and a pinion 102 on the end of this roller 99. The said roller, which is practically merely a cylindrical rod, is supported upon plungers or rests 103 which are disposed within suitable cavities provided therefor in the main frame and engage annular grooves 101 in the roller or rod so that longitudinal movement of the rod or movement of the same transversely of the machine will be prevented. It will also be understood that these plungers or rests reduce the frictional wear upon the said roller by minimizing the surface upon which it bears. The surface of this roller 99 will be knurled or otherwise roughened so that it will eflectually engage the strips passing thereover.

Upon the main frame in rear of the feed roller 89 and fitting close to the same, I secure a bridge or cover plate 105 which p-revents the strips rising from the table or shelf 7e as they leave the said feed roller. Abutting the said cover or bridge plate 105 is a glass covering 106 which extends to the rear edge of the shelf or table 71, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 Secured upon the main frame immediately adjacent the ends of the shelf 74 are standards 107 which have their front faces recessed, as shown at 108, in Fig. 3 WVithin the recesses 108, I mount the reciprocating cutter 109 which has a serrated lower edge so as to form a series of cutting teeth 110, said teeth corresponding in number to the splint-guiding grooves so that each tooth acts on one splint or strip and the'cuttingoperation is quickly accomplished. The teeth are so shaped that they have a shearing action and, as the cutter moves crosswise of the machine, will make a clean sharp out without tending to break the splint or waste any material. The body of this cutter is provided with longitudinal slots 111 through which, and a head block or backing plate 112, fastening screws are inserted to supportthe cutter from a'pl-ate 113' which is 'secur'edto and'extends between the standards 107. Plates 114 are secured to the front sides of the standards 107 and serve to hold the cutter to the standards so that it will be maintained in the desired path of movement and will not be apt to strike against adjacent parts of the machine or make an irregular cut in the strips. The plate 113 may be so fitted between the brackets or standards and against the rear face of the head. block 112 that it can be adjusted toward the cutter to take up wear. To the inner sides of the standards 107, I secure the terminal arms 115 of a yoke which has its central or intermediate portion in the form of a guide plate 116 provided with grooves 117 on its under side which receive the strips and guide them positively to the sections 118 of the carrier. The front edge of the plate 116 furnishes a guide and support for the cutter by engaging the lower edge of the reinforcing plate 112 and as the grooves in this plate are in the under side of the same, the several splints are permitted to pass unobstructed from the plate when the carrier is actuated. At each end of the cutter is a horizontally disposed yoke 119 in which is mounted a roller 120, and secured upon a shaft 121 mounted in suitable bearings on the sides of the main frame are cam disks 122 which have mating recesses and projections upon their inner or opposed faces whereby as the shaft and the cams are rotated, the projection 123 on one disk will engage the roller 120 upon the adjacent end of the cutter and force the cutter across the machine, the roller at the opposite end of the cutter being received within the recess in the adjacent cam disk. This movement of the cutter across the machine will cause the cutting teeth 110 to sever the strips of stock into splints of the desired length. The shaft which actuates the pitman 95 is connected by suitable beveled gearing with a shaft 124 extending upwardly at one side of the machine and connected with the shaft 121 by suitable beveled gearing so that the cams 122 will be properly driven to actuate the reciprocating cutter. Motion is imparted to the shaft which actuates the pitman 95 from the main shaft 125 which is journaled in suitable bearings upon the lower portion of the main frame and actuated from any convenient prime motor, the said main driving shaft 125 being connected through suitable gearing with the shaft 124 and the shaft actuating the pitman 95, as well as with the longitudinal shaft 126 disposed in the lower portion of the main frame, this latter shaft being connected by suitable gearing with the shaft carrying the disk 41 so that the feed rollers and the rotary cutters will be actuated.

By referring to Fig. 3*, it will be noted that the carrier bars are equipped with fiaredjaws of such a form that the splints may readily enter between the jaws. These jaws are resilient and are so shaped on their inner opposed faces as to positively and effectually grip either a round or a square splint and the carrier passes around a feeding drum 127 adjacent the guide plate 116 which is so located that the section of the carrier which is in alinement with the grooves of the said guide plate will be upon a radius of the drum and the thrust of the splints will, consequently, be received squarely by the drum, and the jaws positively forced apart without liability to break the splints.

It is intended, as before stated, in my apparatus to produce both square and round splints, and in the drawings I have illustrated the carrier as receiving splints where it passes around the drum 127 which forms a part of the machine for forming round splints. The apparatus may, however, be turned end for end so that the splints will be forced into the carrier immediately adjacent the discharge end of the machine and the necessity of moving a large empty portion of the carrier thereby avoided. The machine for forming round splints may be of the usual or any preferred construction and arrangement and is indicated generally at 128 in Fig. 1.

hen round splints are being made, the carrier will be actuated through the drum 127 which is driven from a shaft 129 disposed upon the side of the frame and connected by suitable gearing with the main driving shaft 125. The upper end of this shaft 129 is geared directly to a pinion 130 which actuates the drum 127 through an idler 131 and a pinion 132. In order that the drum 127 may be so located that the carrier will be accurately timed with the splint ejecting mechanism of either the round or square splint forming apparatus and also to properly space the carrier from the reciprocating knife acording to the length of the match, I mount the bearings of the pinion 130, the idler 131 and the shaft carrving the pinion 132 and the drum 127 upon bars or plates 133 which are slidably fitted upon the sides of the main frame and secured thereto in a set position by means .of bolts 134 passing through slots in. the said plates into the main frame. The shaft 129 is made in sections connected by a universal joint 135 so as to accommodate this movement of the plate 133 without disengaging the gearing at the upper end of the shaft and thereby necessitating readjustment. One section of the shaft will, of course, be feathered into the adjacent member of the coupling so that it may slide therein although constrained to rotate therewith.

The carrier is moved through a tortuous path so as to dip the splints in the usual manner and then permit drying of the same before they are discharged, and finally reaches the discharge end of the machine, which is shown generally at 136 in Fig. 1. The carrier passes around a drum or feeding rollers 137 mounted upon the frame at the discharge end thereof so that the splints will be disposed on the under side of the carrier and depend therefrom. As the carrier passes under the drum a series of plungers or fingers 138 are lifted into engagement with the carrier sections so as to enter between and spread apart the aws of the carrier and thereby permit the matches to drop from the same. These plungers or fingers as shown most clearly in Fig. 7, are arranged. in a staggered series extending en tirely across the machine and are carried by a yoke 139 which is mounted for vertical sliding movement upon the main frame in suitable guides 140. The lower end of the yoke bears upon cams 141 carried by a transverse shaft 142 mounted in the lower portion of the main frame and geared to the shaft 126. It *ill be readily understood that, as the cams 1%1 are rotated by the shaft 1&2, the yoke 139 will be raised and lowered so that the fingers or plungers 138 will be caused to enter between the jaws of the carrier sections and positively spread them apart throughout their length so that the matches will be discharged. By providing two series of fingers or plungers in staggered relation, I guard against the possibility of some of the carriers being missed by the plungers or fingers in their upward mo ement and insure a discharge of all the matches.

Ha vin g thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination of means for dividing stock into longitudinal strips, and means for separating and spreading said strips in different planes and returning them to a single plane.

2. The combination of rotary cutters, means for feeding stock to said cutters, upper and lower guidesarranged to receive and separate strips formed by the cutters and deliver them in single plane, and means for dividing the strips transversely.

3. The combination of a frame, a conveyer movable intermittently past the discharge end of the frame, a plate supported rigidly by the frame and disposed between the discharge end of the same and the conveyer and provided with grooves whereby strips fed to said plate will be guided in a single plane into the conveyor, means for intermittently feeding stock longitudinally of the frame to said plate, means for intermittently cutting said stock into longitudinal strips, and means working between the said plate and the end of the frame to sever said strips transversely while they are supported by the frame and the conveyer.

4. The combination of a frame, means supported on the frame for feeding stock longitudinally thereof in a horizontal plane and dividing said stock into longitudinal strips, brackets mounted upon the frame at the discharge end thereof, a cutter slidably fitted to and supported in said brackets and constructed to engage the strips individually, and means on the sides of the frame to reciprocate said cutter across the stock and thereby cut the same into splints.

5. The combination of a conveyer constructed to receive separated strips, means for intermittently feeding separated strips to and into said conveyor, and means for cutting said strips into splints after they have been fed into the conveyer,

6. The combination of upper and lower cutters consisting each of a series of circular knives, and spacing washers disposed between some of the knives, upper and lower guides having their ends fitting in the bight between the said cutters and registering with the spaces between the knives whereby to receive strips passing from the washers, said guides being disposed to spread the strips in divergent planes and return them'to a single plane, and stripping members disposed above and below the said guides and fitting between the knives to remove the strips of material and direct them into the said guides.

7. The combination of upper andlower rotary cutters comprising pairs of knives with the pairs of knives of one cutter alternating with the pairs of knives of the other cutter, a series of guides disposed in juxtaposition to said cutters to receive the strips formed by the respective pairs of knives and spread them in divergent planes and return them to a single plane, and combs disposed above and below the said guides and fitting close to and in the spaces between the knives whereby to direct the strips formed by the knives into the guides.

8. The combination of upper and lower rotary cutters adapted to divide stock into longitudinal strips, upper and lower guides arranged in staggered relation to each other and disposed in juxtaposition to the said cutters whereby to receive and spread the strips issuing from the cutters in different planes and disposed to direct the strips to a single plane, and combs secured above and below the said guides and fitting closely to the cutters whereby to remove the strips from the cutters and direct them into the guides.

9. The combination of upper and lower rotary cutters adapted to divide stock into longitudinal strips, a guide plate disposed between and. adjacent the cutters and provided with grooves upon its upper and lower sides, and series of teeth disposed respectively above and below the guide plate in vertical alinement with the grooves in said plate and fitting closely to the said cutters.

10. The combination of a pair of rotary cutters-adapted to divide stock into longitudinal strips, a guide plate disposed in juxtaposition to said cutters and having grooves arranged alternately in its upper and lower sides, and series of teeth disposed respectively in alinement with the said grooves of the guide plate and having curved edges adapted to fit against the cutters and other curved edges extending from the cutters to the grooves whereby stock will be stripped from the cutters and directed into the grooves.

11. The combination of a pair of rotary cutters, a guide plate disposed with one end in juxtaposition to the cutters and longitudinally corrugated to provide guides upon its upper and lower faces, said corrugations diverging horizontally and converging vertically toward the discharge end of the guide plate whereby to approach a single plane.

12. The combination of a supporting frame, rotary cutters mounted thereon, a guide plate slidably supported upon the frame and having guiding grooves in its upper and lower surfaces, means for covering all of said grooves, and means for moving the guide plate and the said covering means longitudinally upon the frame away from the cutters.

13. The combination of upper and lower guides, strippers disposed above and below the guides at the receiving ends thereof, and covers hinged to the respective strippers and normally extending over the said guides.

14:. The combination of a supporting frame having a transverse shelf at its discharge end, said shelf having longitudinal grooves in its upper side, a pair of rotary cutters mounted upon the frame adjacent the receiving end thereof, a plurality of guides having their front ends arranged adjacent the said cutters and their rear ends near but spaced from the said shelf,'said guides receiving strips from the cutters and directing them in two planes toward the shelf, a bridge plate disposed between and abutting the said shelf and the said guides, a plurality of guide tubes carried by said bridge plate and leading from the two planes of the rear ends of the guides to the single plane of the grooves in the shelf, a

carrier movable past the discharge end of the frame, and means for severing strips supported by the said carrier and the grooves in the said shelf.

15. The combination of a supporting frame, a pair of rotary cutters mounted on the frame and arranged to divide stock into longitudinal strips, a transverse shell on the frame at the discharge end of the same hav ing a plurality of longitudinal parallel grooves in a single plane, a cover extending over said grooves, a series of guide tubes supported upon the'frame and having their rear ends reduced and entering the said grooves in said shelf and held therein by said cover, and a plurality of guides disposed between the rotary cutters and said guide tubes and having their front ends arranged to receive strips from the cutters and their rear ends registering respectively with the several guide tubes and their intermediate portions in different planes whereby the strips will be separated and spread and directed into the said tubes.

16. The combination of a frame, intermittently operating means on the frame to divide stocks into strips, means for varying the length of the working period of said dividing means, a conveyer movable past the discharge end of the frame to receive the ends of the strips, means to cut the strips transversely, and means for adjusting the conveyer toward or from the said last-mentioned means, in accordance with variations in the length of the working pe-' riod of the dividing means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALEXANDER KELLEY. [Ls] Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents- Washingtcn, D. C. 

